Self Control and Dignity
Year 1: Self control means I am in charge of my body.
Core Story
My Mouth is a Volcano by Julia Cook. Louis just cannot help shouting out! He feels his important words inside him and he feels like he is going to erupt. His calling out often gets him in trouble at home and at school. Louis blames the volcano in his tummy for his calling out. He thinks he can’t control it. Louis’ mum teaches him that he can control his own voice.
Drawing out the virtue
Pause the story at the point when Louis is sent upstairs for being rude. Ask the class, is it really the volcano’s fault? Who is in charge of Louis's voice? Does Louis show self-control?
Once you’ve finished the story, ask the children to explain how Louis learned to show self control?
Activity 1: Library etiquette
This video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfRXCHw3Fo0 shows two groups of (American) school children behaving very differently during five different common library scenarios e.g. settling down to read, silent working, sitting on stools etc. Silence the voiceover, start at 0:20 and show each pair of scenes and after each, ask your class to explain, in full sentences, which group of pupils is showing dignity and self-control, and what it looks like?
Or create your own class video on how to behave with dignity in the library.
Activity 2: Sleeping Lions
In this game, all the children – with the exception of two ‘explorers’ – lie down on the floor in sleeping positions pretending to be sleeping lions. Explain that once the pupils are settled, they must remain as still as possible. The explorers walk carefully through the sea of sleeping lions trying to spot whether anyone moves. If they spot a pupil moving, they must get up and join the explorers. The child who has remained still for the longest time is the winner. Reward them by saying “Well done, I know you have great self-control because you kept your body really still on the carpet.”
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Classroom language
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“Well done, I know you have great self-control because you kept your body really still on the carpet.”
Remember that we need to use our eyes and ears when we are listening. Hands and feet are for moving.
You listened very well during the story. Your eyes and ears were working really hard.
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Library books
The Dog and His Reflection, Aesop’s Fable
Oh No George by Chris Haughton
The Great Paper Caper by Oliver Jeffers
The Bad Tempered Ladybird by Eric Carle
Little Beauty by Anthony Browne